Welcome to our Folklore and Fantasy Issue.
Throughout this issue the ever-growing NOCTIS
network will give you some of the best legends that
music, imagery, fairy tales and traditions has to offer;
and we have some very special little gems for you.
Illustrators such as Olivia Henry and Dan Morison
have created their own fantasy worlds; while
photography boasts talent including the likes of
James Stopforth (assistant to Tim Walker), Chris
Lane and his beautiful winter landscapes, Onasoglu
Eleni, Dani Bower's surreal worlds and our own
editor Leoni Blue, shares her beautiful fantasy tale.

After brief thought of what to cover, our music section
this issue comprises the best of 2012 and a “who’s hot”
for 2013. Fake Blood graces our pages, the creative
mind behind a new album which has rocked the dance
world, and Flume, the newcomer to the scene whose
debut album knocked One Direction off of the top
spot in his native Australia. We are also pleased to
introduce Parisa, Charli XCX, MS MR and Picture Book.
We have delved into many areas of the artistic
community this issue, but with most of us belonging
to the MTV generation we decided to look a
little further into music videos and look at Jake
Harmer; then continue our ongoing insight into the
designers behind beautiful garments. Interviews
include Helen Steele and Mary Benson, as well
as a very special feature with Void Apparel.

To top off the whole issue we see the return of our
beauty section after a brief sabbatical, and our slightly
off centre features writer Greg Swaby presents you
with his very own twist on a classic fairy tale.

The winter edition of Noctis is
inspired by Folklore Fantasy
and we have created a playlist
from our contributors with
music from past and present to
be the soundtrack to this issue.
Click here to listen now!
Illustration Bleu Pickard
www.bleu-lines.com
6 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

1
2
3
4
5

Rachel Holland Stylist

Joanna Newsom - 81

The song that helps me escape into a dream world.
It's bittersweet and it manages to make me feel both
happy, sad and nostalgic all at the same time.

Claudia Ceccantini Photographer

High Places - Head Spins

6
7
8
9
10

Jim King Photographer

Mythos - Ulysses B.Smart

I listen to this when I think about what
I'm going to wear at my funeral.

Erin Davies DJ

LFO - Think a Moment

It is one of the most played in our studio and
reminds us of the flowing of things.

Despite many of our fantasies, there is one which we all
fall into. We fantasise about our futures. From 70's sci fi
films to Tomorrows world. What does the future hold?

The song is very dreamy and the lyrics link
a lot to the elements and nature.

Kylie M - Confide in Me

I love the drawn out intro its haunting and has a eerie
feel, establishing the setting for my editorial.

James Stopforth Photographer

Jenkins:Adiemus - Miriam Stockley and
London Philharmonic Orchestra.
I find the song has a real power to it and
a song that lets you drift away.

Marie Isabel Nail Artist

Bat for Lashes - What's a Girl to Do
Because love is life's biggest fantasy

“Nightmares”
and “fantasy” I’m
particularly drawn to.
Whether pure horror or
sexual desire these are for
me the most exciting
areas of the
subconscious.

JAKe
HARMeR
8 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

J

Jake Harmer is a Film maker whose
clients have included Vivienne Westwood,
Peace, Duffy Jewelry, Banana Republic and
Emalkay. He took time out between projects
to talk to Noctis about himself and his work.
Who are you Jake Harmer, where are you
from and what has brought you to where
you are in your career at present?
Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a filmmaker from Hastings Old Town. When I
was a boy I used to play football on the streets with
the other kids whilst my parents were in the pub.
Nowhere else have I witnessed drunk fishermen,
bohemians, junglists, morris dancers and hells angels
in total harmony dancing to the Talking Heads.
This period of my life definitely had an impact, as
did the science fiction and David Lynch movies of
that era. I made the move to London in 2002 to
pursue a career in film. Starting out as an Editor
then on to directing fashion films and pop promos.

What drives and inspires your work?
An exploration of beauty in its multiple forms and a
desire to project visceral experiences to my audience.
Those are the key elements that inspire me and I try
to maintain throughout my work. Though the level of
exploration varies massively depending on the nature
of the film and client. Can’t have people fucking in
the Sombrero Galaxy for a Banana Republic ad…
Is that sometimes a struggle between your
own artists and professional vision and the
idea that the client may want as well?
Constantly. In the end you have to make a
decision whether to make an honest living
from your craft or only create for arts sake.

Why do you enjoy the medium of film and
your focus on using dreams/nightmares/
fantasy elements in your art?
For me film is the ultimate. I love music/sound and
photography though the marriage of these has the
ability to spark something next level. Tarkovsky
and Kubrick are examples of almost mystic creative
mastery. They have the ability to make films that can
compel and haunt over an entire lifetime. Sometimes
I have such intense dreams that make no sense in the
realm of our conscious reality though feel completely
logical within the dream. This and the existential
fascinate me. I feel that dreams are still a completely
unknown entity. Skeptics may explain these visions
purely as the brain processing imagery though I don’t
buy this. I believe that as humans we are still in such
a naive stage and that in the future we will discover
multiple planes and levels of perception. I believe
dreams will then be of a far greater significance.
“Nightmares” and “fantasy” I’m particularly drawn
to. Whether pure horror or sexual desire these are
for me the most exciting areas of the subconscious.
Do you keep a pen and paper or Dictaphone
by your bedside then to make sure you note
down your dreams when something truly
fascinating has happened in a dream?
I wish I did. It’s an ideal that everyone
should do. No one does.

Where do you generate your ideas from?
Ideas come constantly, could be anywhere.
I jot them down on my Iphone notes then
write them up at my studio or at home.
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Do you have a place you like to wander
or a corner of your home where you
mull and muse over things?
Getting out of London always helps. The Seaside.
Kayaking. Whilst running. I’ve recently developed
a habit of picking up old photographs at boot fairs.
I find it fascinating to look at intimate photos of
people who are dead and gone with whom I have
no connection whatsoever. Picturing who they
were and what this precise moment in time meant
to them has given me some vivid “daydreams”.
How does your creative process work?
Do you storyboard, draw or dictate?

I’m very visual in my approach. Whilst an idea is
forming I will scan pages from books, tear apart
magazines and trawl the Internet looking for imagery.
These images are accompanied by a brief synopsis
that I then develop. Music videos are notoriously
quick turnaround which will sometimes only allow
a matter of hours to churn out a video treatment,
whereas personal projects can grow more organically
over months or even years as is the case with a script
that I’m currently working on for my first short.
Without wishing to give too much
away (spoilers!) would you like to tell
us about your film idea a little?

It’s premise is extreme heightened states of
consciousness that as human beings we all
occasionally encounter. Moments from the intimate to
the epic. Raw. Unsettling. Ultimately, I hope, Inspiring.
On a more practical note, what bits of kit
could you simply not do without when making
films or do you have a lucky charm maybe?

My Duffy ring seems to be standing me in good stead.
And finally what tips do you have for any
aspiring film-makers reading this?

Work harder than anybody else. When I was younger
I thought I was talented and I was impatient. I
wanted everything now. I’ve learnt that most talent is
acquired through dedication and hard work and not
god given. I’m a million miles from where I want to
be in my career and I’m cool with that. It takes time.
Words Greg Swaby

Jennifer
Geach
JENNIFERGEACH.TUMBLR.COM

O

ctopuses are
Cephalopods, meaning
they just have heads or feet and
have no internal or external
skeleton which allows them
to pass through tight spaces.
I had a friend who worked in
an aquarium who told me the
story of arriving into work and
finding an Octopus splayed out
and dying on the concrete floor.
During the night that boneless
creature slowly squeezed itself
through the air pump in it's
tank sliding through the pipe
until it fell to the ground

That image stayed with me,
imagining tentacles slipping
through a tiny crack has been a
recurring nightmare ever since.

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N

octis magazine is here today to check in
with one of the coolest up and coming
new pop sensations to hit our shores since
Pink got the party started! Blanc infuses
the right mix of sultry pop diva with girl next-door
friendliness and charm, sharing her amazing vintage,
designer wardrobe and DVD collection while we
nurse our hangovers together after a crazy night
listening to her first single “You Like Me" and dancing
on those glitter disco shoes (a Blanc favourite!)
Only to creat a repeat performance to the incredibly
velvet coated pop sonnet “Love Potion No’9”.
German born Blanc spent a childhood
honing her performance and song
writing talents, before taking her
chances at making it big in the heady
music business of LA, working with
high profile producers and collaborating
with the likes of Ammo, Jimmy Harry
and Jonas Jeberg. Bubbling under the
European music radar, the raven haired
starlet is set to take over our airwaves this year with
her own unique brand of electro- pretty punk pop
music with a hint of darkness! So watch out for the
one teaming next season’s most outrageous attire
with last decade’s vintage treasures and tearing up
the very fabric of fashion, only to re sew the seams
once more with a fresh new look and sound!

Actually, I was born on an American military
base in Bavaria, so I’m not a real German. Don’t
tell anyone. I do have some German in me but
I’m half Greek. And aside from going through
an obsessive Xena: Warrior Princess phase, I
regretfully grew up pretty out of touch with my
heritage. But I make a mean Greek cookie!

How does your life compare now to being raised on
a farm? What advice would you give to any small
town youngsters who dream of making it big?

“Raised on a farm” always sounds like cowmilking and tractor-riding, and, granted,
we had our fair share of cows (and some
horses and goats), but it wasn’t exactly
typical farm life because we were
performing and doing such eccentric
things. But of course it’s a completely
different experience going from hanging
out in the barn and feeling isolated to being
submerged in an industry that dictates the
culture of most of the world. It blows my mind
that now I can go to third-world countries and hear
songs in the middle of nowhere where I’m like, “Oh,
I was just working with the guy who wrote that!”

No one
ever made it
big by being
realistic.

So you were born in Germany, do you ever
visit the country? And what inspirations go
you take from your German heritage?
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When you live in a small town, it can be easy to
feel like your dreams are silly or unrealistic, but no
one ever made it big by being realistic. Whatever
it is, chances are it will take a huge amount of
work and setbacks and patience, but if it were
easy, it wouldn’t be worth dreaming about.

I was barely even aware of “real” music until I was
13 and discovered punk and then indie rock from my
brothers’ skateboard videos. Up until that point, it
was strictly country music and pop radio in my family,
so for me it was all about Shania Twain and the Spice
Girls. They were so confident and unafraid; I
wanted to be like them. And like any little
girl, I looked up to my mother - she
was fearless, exceptionally creative,
and she always did exactly what she
wanted, whether it be motivational
speaking, book writing, beauty
pageants, or, you know, ventriloquism.
You’ve certainly travelled and been
around, what are your favourite
destinations and how have they
shaped the Lola Blanc we see today?

What is your favourite way to relax after a
hard day conquering the pop industry?

Film! Since I don’t drink or anything, watching
movies and shows is my way of escaping
from my brain for a little while. Going
to the theater or binge-watching
Breaking Bad or Homeland is my
idea of a raging night. I love to read
too, though I started reading Infinite
Jest recently and it may take me
until the apocalypse to finish it.

The only
pressure I
feel is to do
whatever the
fuck I want

Maybe it’s just because I’ve spent the most time
there, but there’s a South America-shaped place
in my heart. I’m sure it helps that I speak eight
words of Spanish, but I have a thing for Latin
American culture - I’m inspired by the cities, the
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art, the religious iconography, and the primitive,
exotic jungle areas. And some of those flavors come
through in the new music I’m working on now.

You’ve recently been spending time
in London; what would you say are your
favourite hangouts around London and
what can we expect to find you doing there?

I know I’m supposed to talk about how much I love
East London and how I’m so hip and untouristy,
but I’d be lying if I said my favorite place wasn’t
Oxford Street. I went to all the markets and I did

like East London, but Oxford was kind of magical for
me. I shopped at places like Topshop and Irregular
Choice and ate at all the delightful little cafes.
Don’t even get me started on the Indian food.
How would you say your style has
evolved since being in England?

I feel like my style is generally a bit more maximalist
and colorful than the English aesthetic - which
to me is more understated and sophisticatedcool - but since being there during the Olympics
I confess I’ve felt the need to incorporate Union
Jacks into outfits as often as possible.
How important is image to you as an artist and how
big a role do you feel sexuality plays in your image?

Image is key for every pop artist and I’m no exception,
but it’s equally important to me that what I put out
into the world is me. An amplified version of Lola,
but still Lola. When you begin to think too much
about how others think of you, it becomes unnatural
and forced and I think people are smart enough to
see through that. So my goal is to do what I love in a
clear, consistent way, operating under the assumption
that there are other people who will love it too.
And at my core I feel comfortable as a sexual being,
so if I’m being me, especially if I’m a visually-driven
female artist, that’s going to come through no matter
what. But I believe in the music and I don’t think I
have to be a substanceless sex kitten or write vaguely
shocking sex songs to be a great entertainer.
Do you feel any pressure at all to conform to a
standard in order to be more accepted by the media?
Not so much. Right now I’m at the stage where
the only pressure I feel is to do whatever
the fuck I want, in spite of all the men in
suits who are afraid for their jobs.

What do you feel the future holds for Lola Blanc?
Where can we expect to see you in five years time?

Albums, Grammys and tours, oh my! Not to mention
a host of fun things I have in store for 2013.
What artists have you yet to work
with that you’d like to?

There was a Far East Movement collaboration that
never got released, but aside from that I haven’t
worked with any rappers yet and I’m dying to do
a song with Eminem. I admire the honesty in his

music so much. And I’ve always wanted to do a Lady
Marmalade-style collaboration with other female
artists. Producer-wise, Danger Mouse and Bloodshy
& Avant (from Mike Snow) are crazy talented
and I’d give my left testicle to work with them.
Finally, is there a Mr Blanc on the cards?
How could a guy impress you enough
to score a date with Lola Blanc?
My lips are sealed! All I’ll say is I like my
men smart, talented and funny as hell.
Words Annabel Wyatt

Aged just 22,
Mary Benson is
already renowned for
her cutting edge designs.
Having formed her self-named
label in March 2012, she’s since
been featured in Vogue, Drapers
and Tavi Gevinson’s Rookie
magazine (to name but a few)
and counts pop princess Rita Ora
as a fan. Daisy Tinker talks to the
talented designer about what the
future has in store for her
eye-catching collections.

hat made you want to get into the world of
fashion?

I started making funny little bags at school selling
them to girls in the years above me; I loved seeing
people wear things I’d made and actually wanting
to buy them. Straight after I finished school I started
making clothes and had them stocked in some shops, I
loved the business side of it all from a young age.
What process do you go through when you’re
designing a collection?

I research for ages and collect all sorts of things that
inspire me. I draw loads and loads from my research
and it all comes together. I put my inspiration all over
the walls and keep my post it notes by my bed so if
I think of anything I can quickly write it down and
stick it on my wall for morning! I always have my best
ideas when I’m winding down and thinking about
everything I’ve done.
Do you design to a particular aesthetic or with a
particular person in mind?

It’s very youthful and high spirited. I design for me,
what I would want to wear.
What do you enjoy about what you do?

I don’t know where to start. It’s literally all I want to
do and when I’m not doing it I get agitated and fidgety!
It’s the best feeling ever when I finish a collection and
I absolutely love it - I just can’t wait to show everyone!
How would you describe your latest collection in three
words?
Holographic glamour puss

You count Rita Ora and VV Brown as fans of your label;
how did it feel seeing them wear your clothes?
It was so exciting because I didn’t expect it! I woke
up one morning feeling really ill and had a picture
message on my phone saying, “Is this Rita Ora in your
shiny stuff?” I jumped about for a bit and suddenly
didn’t feel as ill any more!
Who would you like to see wearing your clothes?
Gwen Stefani; she is brilliant.

Do you wear your own designs, and if so, how do you
style them?
Yes! I sold most of my old bought clothes, I just
didn’t want them any more. My clothes sort of style
themselves, I usually put one of my shiny dresses on
with my big black boots and that’s me done!

You recently designed a collection of dresses
particularly for a shoot for Tavi’s Rookie website; what
was the inspiration behind the collection, and what’s it
like to work with Tavi?
Well, Tavi lives in America so I’ve only had the chance
to exchange emails! But Rookie is so cool, and I was
super excited when I was asked to make clothes for it!
The photos from the shoot were beautiful and worked
so well with the clothes.
Do you admire any other designs in particular, if so,
why?

I absolutely love Christopher Kane, his collections are
always incredibly beautiful and so FUN.
Where do you hope to take your label in the future?

I’m working on my next collection as we speak....I can’t
wait to show everyone. I’m also launching my website
in January with a party to celebrate!! I want to
continue to be involved in London Fashion Week each
season and continue to work super hard and most
importantly, keep enjoying what I’m doing!!

The garments you design are typically very bright
and youthful, do you think they reflect your own
personality?

Definitely! I have this crazy amount of endless energy,
everything goes a million miles an hour sometimes. It
must be something I eat...
Your collection for VV Vintage was actually created
using old clothes; why is it important to you to
promote upcycling?
Well there’s so much potential in vintage clothing,
especially because I focus on the print a lot it gives
me a really good base for experimenting as well as
recycling!

You and your work have featured in magazines like
Vogue and Drapers, but what has been your proudest
moment of your career so far?

A cross between when I saw my look book from my
first collection and when I was on Mary Queen of
Shops when I was 17. I was so excited to meet Mary
Portas and be on the telly; I love making my Mum and
Dad proud.
20 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

Helen

Steele

WWW.HELENSTEELE.COM

Y

our story is quite interesting, when did
you decide to get into fashion design
and how did you get started?

My degree is in Fashion design, however I always felt
that I had to put my stamp on my work in a different
way so after uni I began to work during the day with
a South African artist Patrick O Conner who helped
me to learn to develop my own style of painting.
During the night I was working as a lead singer with
a thrash metal band to pay the bills! Fast forward ten
years and my art was selling internationally when I
began to make prints from my art work to print onto
kaftans that I wore when working in the middle east.
I then began to get orders for the kaftans and around
the same time my husbands company Silverhillfoods
(who produce Peking duck, and duck down duvets
and pillows) asked me to create a range of duck down
jackets that would be filled with their pure Irish duck
down. We were granted a Fusion grant to research
and develop the product which was brilliant because
it fused our company with a graduate in Fashion
design from The University of Ulster in Belfast.
We had the professor of textiles come on board to
consult. I launched Helen Steele in SS12 (which
sold out internationally)at London and Paris fashion
weeks and the puffa jackets launched in AW12.
Your living and working environment is very
different to most UK designers who are based in
London. How do you feel this affects your work?

I live right on the boarder of Ireland and Northern
Ireland, if I walk from my studio to the warehouse or
22 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

feather factory my mobile network jumps from Irish
to UK networks which can be expensive!! But on a
lighter note it’s a very rural but beautiful place that
I live in, our home is on the family run duck farm and
is nestled in a beautiful valley with green hills all
around us. And at night (when it's not cloudy) you
can see so many stars in the sky due to lack of light
pollution. It’s a visually inspiring place to work and
live. I personally don’t feel that it affects my work - I
think it enhances it. We do have a London showroom
and press room with Snow PR in Great Portland St.
How would you sum up your brand for
those unfamiliar with your work?

Bright, beautiful three dimensional prints
created by performance art. Created for the
woman who travels, a capsule collection of
lightweight prints in silks and jersey, that can
take you from home to holiday and back again.
Your work fuses fashion and art, how would
you describe your creative process?

Messy! All of our prints are created by getting
fluid paint to mix and run in the air. We use wind
machines to propel the wet paint into the air
then we photograph the paint mixing and we
film the process and create our prints from the
images. From the design aspect I try to create
a blank canvas of clean lines to show off the
print without being restrictive to the body.

24 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

prints. Our SS13 collection has loads of fantastical
prints such as the ethereal and misty prints, I
tried to evoke a dreamy dewy summer dawn
landscape with these two prints. I think a healthy
dose of fantasy is important especially today.
Your Spring Summer â&#x20AC;&#x2122;13 collection features lots
of loud prints, what were your inspirations?
The inspirations for SS13 were as I said before
the misty dawn landscape of the English and
Irish countryside, and the visually blindingly
bright colours found along the new silk route.
I was traveling for work in the UAE and China
and I just found myself blinded by the amazing
visual stimulation that I captured on my
camera and tried to re-create in my studio.
How would you describe the typical Helen Steele
girl and who do you aim your designs at?

I feel that there is something for everyone in each
collection that I create . I do see the more wacky
Greyson Perry type of person wearing my work. I
LOVE him! But realistically the girl who wears Helen
Steele is a confident creative leader, who is not afraid
of fashion , or anything really... well maybe spiders.

To what extent do you follow trends within the fashion
industry? Does this affect your work in any way?
I try to create work that is visually appealing and
flattering to all ages and sizes regardless of trend.
What are your aspirations as a fashion designer?

Colourful world domination creatively and financially,
to continue to create clothing that makes people feel
happy through colour therapy and constructive prints.
Other than fashion, what motivates you in life?
Colour, my kids and husband and
the pursuit of happiness.

This is the Folklore Fantasy issue of Noctis, what
does this theme mean to you? Would you say
your collections have any fantastical elements?

The theme of Folklore and Fantasy especially
fantasy is the foundation of the basis of our prints,
we try to create a fantastical world where paint
becomes a living creature jumping from season to
season in fantastical colourful three dimensional

Do you have any design heroes, fashion or otherwise?
Greyson Perry the artist is amazing, I am also pretty
inspired by Comme Des Garcons and DuroOlowu.

What can we expect from Helen Steele in the future?
Brighter bolder three dimensional prints on smart
textiles that shield and protect the body, a brand
spanking new online store going live in March and
pop up shops in the coolest of resorts worldwide!
Words Jordan Porteous

Olivia
Henry
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OLIVIAHENRYILLUSTRATION

I

nspired by the oldest
recorded version of
Little Red Riding Hood
by Charles Perrault.
The original story included
disturbing actions and
meanings which have been
lost due to censorship.
The illustrations focus on
the dark side of classical
children's Fairy Tales.

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Omar Hraib & Sam Bell on their influences behind Void,
a doom-inspired t-shirt brand out of East London.

oid was born about a year ago, when
we built a screen printing press out
of an old desk and some scrap wood.
The reason for its birth was to create
a platform for our graphics, something real and
tangible that people could get their hands on

The idea of creating something that directly
draws from our interests is the main reason
we started. We wanted to create a brand that
identifies the interesting and unique aspects of
doom metal and psychedelic culture, a whole
sub-genre that feels underexposed. Most people
don’t even know what doom sounds like, which
is part of its appeal. There is no real vanity or
front to anything in doom which feels like rare
thing. We wanted to take this approach to Void.

It is very clear to us that small brands can really
drive a subculture, brands that are run by those
truly involved with the culture that inspires their
products. Growing up skateboarding this was
especially apparent. Each brand in skateboarding
had its own style and they all offered something
different – their own take on skateboarding
by showcasing there own selection of art
and music on decks, clothing and videos.

With any brand there has to be a level of selfawareness and we are no exception, however
the fundamentals of our operation are fairly
basic. From the start we’ve designed and
printed all our clothing ourselves. It’s great
to have such a hands-on approach with an
idea, as it allows you to see it develop and
keeps you inspired and excited. This also
imparts a raw, lo-fi element to the outcome,
which echoes the aesthetic of the majority of
music from which we draw our inspiration.

As the brand grows we want to increase our
involvement with the scene. We’ve had the
opportunity to host a couple of shows on NTS
Radio, which has been a great chance to play
emerging bands to a wider audience in an
attempt to offer another perception of metal
to those who otherwise may never hear it.
Its important for us to keep things on a
level, and rather than cater too heavily to
trends we want to keep the brand close to
our interests in the hope that those who
love doom or just enjoy subculture will put
their support into something genuine.

ames is a London based photographer and
a graduate from The Arts University College
at Bournemouth with BA Hons in Commercial
Photography. Since 2008 to present, he has been Tim
Walker’s assistant and he also has a background in
set design. He enjoys building large-scale sets and is
known by his innovative use of sculptural imagery.
James shows great talent towards both photography
and set design while also successfully managing
to combine both passions to capture aesthetically
theatrical and original photographs.

One of his main inspirations being mythical and
fantastical influences, he doesn’t fail to practice
surreal concepts within photography and, regardless
of the technological advantages in post–production,
he still prefers capturing most effects on the camera,
experimenting with lighting and mixed media.
Can you tell us what inspired you to do photography?
Not knowing what happened in that red tinted dark
room at school, and a curiosity to experiment. I did
Art and Design, Product design and Photography
at A-level, In an attempt to listen to teachers I
took English too to achieve ‘academic balance’, I
dropped it after 2 weeks. I spent the two years
rotating between rooms in the same block and
I know my Photography tutor told me none of
the teachers knew what direction I’d end up
taking, but that it would be very creative.
What’s the first photograph you can recall
taking, and why did you take that photograph?

He was a big Golden Retriever. When I was about
7 I used to dress him up and stage funny pictures
around him with toys etc. A Cowboy!?..with holster,
Waistcoat, hat and sheriff badge. I still have
pictures somewhere of him with a headset and
roller-skates, wrapped in toilet roll as a Mummy
and even one where I got en empty bottle of
wine and his paw around a glass. He loved it!
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Which form of art, other than photography,
do you find most your inspiration?

Filmmaking ties so many references and whether
old or new I have always been able to sit through
the worst film and take something inspiring from
it. Cinematography, lighting, or maybe something
about the setting. I tend to take inspiration from
historical ideas like mythology and mysterious
events. Years ago my dad used to read these books
by a guy called Arthur C Clarke which were crammed
with spontaneous human combustion, big foot and
crystal skulls, it must have rubbed off. I think these
references are more inspiring as a starting point as
it links to something real that has happened or been
experienced by someone. I think nature is probably
the strongest influence as I grew up in Dorset.
What makes an image precious for you?
Someone you care about or a
moment you’d fear to forget.

How do you feel about the memory vs. photograph
debate? Do you believe in mental pictures?

Mental pictures in terms of creativity is an interesting
area because when I think of an idea, it is not so much
from a photographic point of view, but how things
could be constructed and rigged, lit and placed. It
takes design of a whole scene rather than making
something look like an Art/Fashion picture ‘should’.
It’s sometimes a bit hard because I see or draw a
picture like it has already been shot but then to recreate that on a tight budget is tricky. It is why so far
I build all my Props as I don’t need to pay anyone,
enjoy it, and makes the end shot ever closer to
initial idea. Seems to make the work feel complete.
In terms of memory, my Nan had Alzheimers
so I could see first hand how when someone’s
memories un-willingly fade, Photographs of
family and favorite places are the only way
to keep a grip on a life you have lived.

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Do you always know why you want
to capture something?

I know what and how, but not always why?

Do you take photographs aside from work?

I used to take a lot before University. From
that point I think you are made to focus on
quality and editing is introduced. Pictures I
take day to day are normally references back
to work. Otherwise friends and the dogs….

Can you talk us through your process of image
making from the beginning to the finial outcome?

Sit in the ‘Man cave’ (office) sketching of an idea
amongst piles of sketchbooks full of references.Design
of the shots or narrative and do a final drawing.
How do I build it? Lots of trips to B&Q normally
followed by hours/days of carving/painting/gluing.
Frequent visits to the Antique Gumball machine
filled with Skittles. Model/Friend? (only so much you

can expect a model to agree to, friends however….
endless). Get rest of a team together and shoot it.
Scan it, look at it. Take all the mess to leave at family’s
house in Dorset. Find a way to let the world see.
Do you take a camera everywhere with you?

No, as mostly the pictures are pre-planned. When I
go back to Dorset I do as it tends to be more inspiring
than trips on the Tube. I didn’t take it the other
week trying to cheat a light bag. Possibly the most
amazing sight ever as tens of thousands of starlings
took off outside the house carving huge shapes and
painting the sky black. Karma. They proceeded to
do it every evening I was there just to rub it in.
What else do you take everywhere?
(Excluding mobile phone)

Three pocket pat-down, wallet, phone, keys…
normally a notebook if I have a coat or bag. For all
those random scribbling even I don’t understand.

What is your opinion on photographs being forever?
Certainly although it won’t be printed, more
likely projected in some way. The still image has
a power which cant be seen in moving image.

Do you own any cameras? If so, have they got names?
I own some cameras but it have never occurred
to me to name them. Do people do that?
When was the last time you were scared?

Blimey, I mean properly scared, rarely. But there was
a time a few years back when I went into these caves
along a coastline thinking of pictures, an enormous
cliff which had been quarried heavily deep into the
cliff leaving pillars of different pieces of stone wedged
in to support the cliff above. There were puddles
all over where the water was filtering through the
ground from the cliff above and I went all the way
to the back, it was like another world. I have had so
many tempting ideas but it’s a big risk for a picture.

What do you think of Folklore Fantasy,
how would you determine the brief?

Fantasy is Escapism into the idea of something
outside of what we do and see. Folklore is
essentially British heritage. The two makes for
an exploration into weird and quirky ideas.
Do you think it's possible for any
photograph to remain unseen forever?

Sure, send it to space, if you bury it then those
Time Team guys will dig it up. If a famous
Photographer’s Archive is left then there is
normally someone who will want to show the world
unseen pictures that the photographer clearly
didn’t want to show for one reason or another.
Tell us a really unexpected thing
that you got inspired from?

Burning wood grain? Mostly I can predict an effect
but blow torching softwood gently makes a nice
finish. Worked that out when I built the burning
standard lamps in the river. Most inspirations
are random so it is tricky to list them.

When you meet a stranger, when would be the point
at which they figure out that you're a photographer?
46 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

If they come to my home then they are equally
likely to think I was a sculptor as much as a
photographer because there are many half made
projects. I don’t go pointing cameras in people’s
faces so probably a simple chat or what we all do.

What were you thinking before you went to sleep the
night before your first day of assisting Tim Walker?

If I was an obsessed fan then I probably wouldn’t
have slept but the truth is I had met him before when
building some of the Props and Assisting Shona
Heath with her creations. So I had an established
respect for someone who was doing things differently
and making Photography as creative as I want it
to be. I just hoped I could load film quick enough
as the camera he uses is notorious for taking a
while to master any sort of speed. It went fine!
If you were to put your life into chapters,
which chapter would you be in now,
and what would it be called?

In the point where the struggle to identify a
direction is over, the merge of interests complete,
a step forward to simply produce more work.
Words Melis Erdem
Photography James Stopforth

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Walking in a

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Winter

Wonderland

PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS LANE
WORDS JODIE SHEPHERD

W

ith a style rooted in the essence of
drama, Chris Lane is an American
photographer and graphic designer
with a lean to the fine arts. Dedicated to detail,
Lane strives to make an image the best it can be,
though understanding the importance of often
needing to keep something raw and beautiful
like his 35mm snowy landscapes. Here he
speaks of finding beauty in the benign, defacing
photographs, delving into the commercial
world and using shoeboxes as a camera.
Fine art has a strong sense of freedom in
itself, what first prompted you to delve
into the photographic medium?
Having enjoyed the arts from a young age, I originally
considered myself a painter. But unfortunately I
am something of a perfectionist, and not terribly
patient; this is where I found photography. It is
far more immediate, particularly digitally, though
I still shoot analogue. And when I feel the need
to manipulate something, I can control a lot with
post-production. I still paint when I can though,
but photography is my primary art form right now,
what with all the time constraints in my life.

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Since your â&#x20AC;&#x153;Snowy Wonderlandâ&#x20AC;? series then,
have you been developing any new projects?
Of course! I am always thinking up new projects.
Sometimes I start them and see them through,
other times I leave them in my sketchbook with the
intention to work on them later. Currently I have
been working on a series of defacement photographs.
In this instance I take a number of photographs of
the same subject with various manipulations and
collage them together with Photoshop. This creates
something hideous, but still mildly recognisable.
How do you feel you have grown as
an artist over the recent years?

From the first moment I started photography, my
earlier work is unrecognisable to myself as my own.
Not only has the technical aspect of my practice grown
while I learn new things, but my creativity has come
a long way to. I once believed that if a photograph is
touched after the shutter has been released, it was
cheating, now I realise it is often a necessity. At the end
of the day it is my work so I can do what I like with it.

Where do you find your inspiration
to make photographic work?
Everywhere and anywhere; I can find beauty in
almost anything. From the decay of an abandoned
house to the natural beauty of the striations in a leaf.

In your opinion, what makes a good photographer?
This is a difficult question to say the least as I think
it can vary so greatly. There are technically great
photographers in the world that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t creative, and
then there are those that are incredibly creative that
donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always have the technical abilities. I guess,
the best thing is to know what your strongest point
is. Passion and drive are important components
in making a great photographer too. The best
are those that never stop trying new things.
Does this affect the photography
equipment you choose?

Sometimes, but I like to use a range of things. For
example, cardboard tubes and shoeboxes make great
pinhole cameras. Infact, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used an entire room with
blackened windows so that only a small fraction of
light can enter and mark the opposing wall. This being
said, I have used a number of digital and analogue
cameras. I like experimenting with lighting too;
natural light is beautiful but often I feel the need to

shape and control it with either hot lights or a strobe.
It is important to try and get the lighting perfect in
camera, rather than relying on post-production.
Would you say that post-production is an
important aspect of your work or not?

Yes and no; creatively yes, but in my landscape
work it is not important. It depends on
the image I have in mind and whether this
can be achieved within the camera.
You work within graphic design too.
Does this ever cross the line into your
photographic and fine art practices, or do
you keep them completely separate?

Oh, absolutely they cross over now and again.
Graphic design can really influence the colour
choices I make and the composition of the piece.
What plans do you have for your
photography in the New Year?

Well, I plan to make conceptual work that is far more
challenging to myself as an individual, and is on a
grander scale. I also hope to work collaboratively
with more of my photographer friends and push into
the commercial world so that I can hope to support
myself on photography and graphic design alone.

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Skipping School

These are the actions you must do:
Stand to attention, stand at ease,
Bend your elbows, Bend your knees.

Due to super-injunctions and age restrictions
the actual characters in this story cannot
be named for legal reasons.
Ronsel and Creta are the young children of a
poor Pine World furniture salesman. But due to
global economic conditions, high rents in The
Big City and firms like IKEA under-cutting on
price, things weren’t so great in the world of Pine
furniture, but he made do best he could to look
after his two children and their step-mother.

When a great money drought had well and truly
settled over the land, the Salesman’s second, abusive,
wife decided to take the children into zone 9 and
leave them there to fend for themselves, so that she
and her husband did not starve to death or miss a
mortgage payment and so damage their credit rating.

The salesman opposed the plan but finally, and
reluctantly, submitted to his wife’s scheme, a neighbor
had overhead them discussing it in their garden and
called social services, but they were too overworked
and understaffed to be able to follow up the call.
They were also unaware that in the children’s
bedroom, Ronsel and Creta had overheard them.
After the parents had gone to bed, Ronsel snuck out
of the bedroom and using his fathers ePeach laptop
downloaded to his SkittPhone the 4Square app, so
that he could check into locations along the way
to where his wicked step mother planned to dump
them, so that they could track their way home.
The following morning, the family made
the trip to all the way to Zone 9. Ronsel
took his SkittPhone and began leaving his
4Square trail for them to follow home.

Once they were abandoned, however, they found
that the Chopsy Sparrow game Creta had been
playing had almost eaten the whole battery life
of their phone! Only a few, erm, crumbs of power
were left and they were soon lost in a borough
that was rather ironically called The Woods.

ILLUSTRATIONS OLIVIA HENRY

After what seemed like days of wandering to them,
due to their lack of patience and short attention
spans, they ended up wandering into a less than
affluent inner city estate. It had a a run down
shopping precinct, due to the openings of a series of
huge antipodean owned mega shopping malls being
opened in The Big City, attracting customers away
from smaller, local firms who were forced to cut prices
to try to compete in what were eventually, for most,
entirely futile efforts to compete with big business.

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Hungry and tired, the children wandered into a little
paper shop and as there was no one behind the
counter or in sight they began to help themselves to
chocolate and sweets, their parents had failed to set
proper boundaries or discipline in them due to their
liberal and lassefair parental style and some might
say soft, Observer on Sunday, Brunch munching, flat
white drinking, small glass of red each night with
dinner, caravan holidays in southern France ways.
When suddenly the door at the back of shop
opened and a Very Old Woman emerged andâ&#x20AC;Ś

Now this is where the story splits in two, one version is the truth
and the other is what the children would later rely on in court;

…Lured the children inside, with the promise of
soft beds and delicious food. They did this without
knowing the fact that their hostess was a wicked witch
who waylaid children to cook and eat them, officer

The next morning, the witch locked Ronsel in an iron
cage in the back room and forces Creta into becoming
a slave. The witch fed Ronsel regularly to fatten him
up, but he cleverly offered a bone he found in the cage
and the witch felt it, thinking it to be his finger. Due to
her blindness, she was fooled into thinking he was still
too thin to eat. After weeks of this, the witch grows
impatient and decides to eat Ronsel, “be he fat or lean.”
She prepared the oven but decided she was
hungry enough to eat Creta, too. She coaxed
her to the open oven and prodded her to lean
over in front of it to see if it was hot enough.

Creta, sensed the witch’s intent, pretended she did
not understand what she had meant. Infuriated, the
witch demonstrated, and Creta instantly shoved
the witch into the oven, slamming the door shut,
leaving “The ungodly witch to be burned to ashes”,
the witch screamed in pain until she died.
Creta freed Ronsel from the cage and the
pair discovered a vase full of money and
jewelery. Putting the jewels and money in
their pockets, the children set off for home.

They had enough money to pay for a minicab all the
way home and at home they found only their father;
his wife died from an unknown cause. Their father had
spent all his days lamenting the loss of his children,
and was delighted to see them safe and sound. With
the witch’s wealth, they all lived happily ever after.

However as the barrister for the prosecution said
in court what really happened is much more likely
that when suddenly the door at the back of shop
opened and a Very Old Woman emerged and asked
the children what they were doing, they panicked and
set upon her in a frenzy, beating and attacking her,
pushing her into the back room and in the ensuing
melay broke the vase in which the Very Old Woman
had hidden her pension money and other valuables.
The children believed they had killed the VOW
and being keen fans of CSI set about trying to
dispose of her body and attempted to stuff her
into the oven. However she had been knocked
unconscious and her screams were heard to ring
out across the estate, one witness told the court.
The children then cleared out the shop till and
safe, ransacked her flat above the shop for any
further loot, and were then so tired that they
spent the night at the place before making their
way back to their father the following day.

And with initial newspaper reports being based on
unclear statements and facts that had been quickly
seized upon, especially the fact that the Very Old
Woman was a practicing Christian she was quickly
branded a lunatic by the Daily Mail and the red tops,
with initial headlines such as “SICK OLD BWITCH”
and “GOD SQUAD BUTCHER BURNT” and the slightly
more bizarre, “TWO BLONDE MIDDLE CLASS KIDS
KILL VERY OLD WOMAN IN SELF DEFENSE – COME
ON, EVERYONE OVER 60 AND LIVING ON THEIR OWN
IS PROBABLY A BIT OF A WEIRDO OR A NOUNCE”
They believed they would get away with it but
foolishly Creta had charged their mobile phone
and checked in to the shop using 4Square…
Words Greg Swaby

antasy and Science
Fiction have been
a driving force
behind my work for as
long as I can remember.
The real world just seems
so dull and flat, and
above all, predictable.
At least in my drawings
I can escape to worlds
where rocks float in the
sky, where starships drift
between multi-coloured
nebulas, mystic priests
perform secret rituals
underneath moons and
giant robots are made
just for the hell of it.

Dan
Morison
WWW.DANMORISON.COM

140 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

@DARKMECHANIC

142 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

Contemporary Cultural Review:

JF

ugular

ever

144 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

BLOOD is the NEW BLACK

W

ith 2012 marking the centenary of the
death of Bram Stoker, author of spinechilling classic Dracula, we are more
mesmerised than ever with vampires. It is a myth that
resonates with audiences across generations. Children
grow up with cartoon characters like Sesame Street’s
The Count, teenage girls devour Twilight, adults watch
TV’s True Blood. It is a fascination that refuses to die.
‘Once bitten, twice shy’ has never applied. Literature,
TV, film, fashion, video games … if it has fangs we want
it. Despite the main star’s cold-blooded nature and
lack of reflection, it is a genre that is alive and well.
Vampires dramatically differ from other things
that go bump in the night. Ghosts drip ectoplasm;
zombies seep blood and decaying flesh; werewolves
moult; vampires ooze sex appeal. This dark charisma
and sexual prowess combined with impressive
physical and mental power infatuates us. Dracula
is the epitome of the tall, dark and handsome
stranger. And he can transform into a bat.
In the world of fashion too our appetite for all things
vamp is insatiable. Halloween always heralds the
continuation of our love affair with horror and
‘shriek chic’. And vampires, undisputed spooks of
style, are consistently celebrated on the Autumn/
Winter catwalks, duty-bound to showcase the
pale and interesting look, blood-stained lips,
spellbindingly smoky eyes and black. Lots of
black. Vampires, true embodiment of otherness,
inspire fashionistas to embrace the dark side.

and burgundy lips - all inspired by 1933 horror
Vampire Bat. At the Viktor and Rolf catwalk, lit
exquisitely by a full moon, the deathly pale skin
and dark lips look was key. Versace gave us femme
fatales wearing crucifix embellished velvet and
skin-tight mini-dresses while at D&G the theme
was gothic opulence, with gold brocade adorning
black lux fabrics, heavy gold earrings and models
styled like immortal tsarinas. At LFW design duo
Aminaka Wilmont also made a focus of dark-stained
lips but combined the beauty trend with wearable
fashion – with a gothic twist. Givenchy too opted
to vamp it up with sophisticated black, flashes of
blood red and heavy corpse couture make-up.

Fundamental to perpetual popularity is the fact that
vampires have succeeded in moving with the times.
They are no longer old-fashioned, old-aged, capewearing, heavy Eastern-European-accented Counts
likely to be hunted down by pitchfork-wielding
peasants. Instead, like a fine wine, they’ve aged
exceptionally well. They are young-looking (even if
they’ve seen more centuries than the English cricket
team), good-looking (think Kiefer Sutherland in Lost
Boys), cool (and not just in the cold-blooded sense),
exceptionally well-dressed – no more of those scarletlined cloaks except for on very special occasions – and
fairly sociable – these days they can be in the same
room as a human without jumping on their jugular.
It is this undeniable ability to evolve that means
fashion’s fling with vampires is far from over. This
is one trend that shows no signs of being buried.
Words Leah Nedahl

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176 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

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FAKE
T

BLO
OD
OO

heo Keating aka Fake Blood is a producer and
DJ from London. A veteran on the scene, he has
been releasing music for twenty years under
various different guises, and his success has followed
him around the globe playing to crowds in the USA,
Canada, Ibiza and beyond. His persona and style has
developed along with his aliases into what we now
know and love as Fake Blood. Originally making his
name as one half of 90s outfit The Wiseguys and
releasing some classic tracks including ‘Start the
Commotion’ and ‘Ooh La La’; he has consistently made
successful tracks and albums, whether it’s as
The Wiseguys, DJ Touché or Fake Blood.

Outsider music - to dance to, and to soundtrack a
doomed space mission to a dark planet. A bit like
“Event Horizon” but with an onboard disco.
How has Fake Blood’s style changed since
your massive 2008 single Mars?

It’s hard for me to say. That’s for others to
determine. I just continue making music and
being inspired by stuff around me. How that
distills into my tunes over time - who knows.

Along with the signature huge baselines; Cells
has an obvious darker, even macabre side
to it. Is this sinister vision of music
an expression of your personality?

I’ve never
been an
“industry” guy.
I’m the one
skulking in the
corner!

Fake Blood released his new album
‘Cells’ in November and it has gained
positive reviews across the board.
It’s instantly recognisable with his
mixture of house and techno all
woven together with shuddering,
dark bass lines. The first track and
first single Yes/No tells you all that
you need to know about where this
album will take you. Kicking off with a
solid 4/4 beat, you are drawn in by whispered
vocals and a melody not too unlike the theme song
from The Exorcist; but when the drop arrives with
an incredibly sinister bass line, you realise why
Fake Blood is killing clubs all round the world.
Your new album Cells dropped in November. It
sounds fantastic but for people who are new to
your music, what can they expect to hear?
178 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

Not especially. I am interested in
the darker side of things, but no
more so than anyone else. Hmm…
maybe that’s not strictly true. I’m
fascinated by that stuff. But whether
that affects my personality?...

When starting to make this album
did you have a certain inspiration or
theme in mind or did it happen organically?

No there was no overall theme or concept. I wanted
to make a range of tracks and moods, but also
just see what ideas came to me as I progressed.
I often make tracks in parallel - concurrently
rather than consecutively - so I can switch
between different types of vibe and keep my mind
fresh, rather than go off down a dark tunnel!

Have you been pleased with the reaction in
clubs when you play your new material?

Absolutely. It’s always great to see/hear a crowd
respond to a track they’ve never heard before,
so those early test plays were nervous but very
rewarding. And now I’m getting asked for those
same tunes, and the response is one of
recognition - which is just as great.
For someone who originally came
to prominence because of your
remixes for the likes of The Kills,
Little Boots and Armand Van
Helden, what was it like making a
full album of original productions?

This year has seen you playing all
around the world, including gigs in the
US, Canada, Ibiza and closer to home
in Scotland. How do the different
scenes differ to that in London?

Ibiza can be
excellent, or souldestroying. It very
Ibiza can be excellent, or soulmuch depends destroying.
It very much depends
on
where
you
play. Scotland is
on where you
almost always brilliant. The crowds
play
are some of the most reactive and

I’ve made albums before, so it wasn’t
something new to me. Making one’s
own originals is slightly different to
remixing other people’s tunes (as far as
the mechanics and techniques) but only in the
initial stages really - the starting points aren’t the
same. But the main difference is that with an album
you can experiment, and take risks - you have more
time/songs to play with, and they’re yours. It’s 100%
your vision - you don’t have anyone to answer to.
What do you enjoy most; being in the
studio or playing in a club?

It’s impossible to answer this really, as they are so
completely different. One hand washes the other!
Recently you have worked on a new soundtrack
to the classic 1977 horror film Suspiria.
How did you become involved in that?

The BFI were running their Sonic Cinema nights
that combined film and music, and a friend of mine
asked if I’d like to be involved as he had also worked
with them on a couple of events. Initially I suggested
that I do a DJ set over the top of Suspiria, as it is a
personal favourite of mine and lends itself so well
to music. But as I started working on it, I realised
I’d much rather make all the music myself, instead
of sourcing tracks to form a DJ set. So I set about
producing about 20 new pieces of music for the
film. However, removing the audio in the original

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film (where music was playing) meant I then had
to rebuild all the sound effects to sync up to the onscreen action - layering glass crashes, water sounds,
wind & rain, footsteps etc to play under my own
music, so it seemed to the audience like the original
sound was still in tact. Some might say I didn’t HAVE
to do that - but it’s my obsessive side!

passionate you’ll find anywhere. Canada’s
always a lot of fun, too. It’s more clubbased rather than huge “EDM” events, so you can
play proper-length sets to people dancing in dark
rooms - which is what it’s all about. The US has really
changed over the past few years. I’m having a really
good time when I play out there. There is definitely
more going on, and more awareness - but I hope that
it doesn’t burn out and be seen as a passing fad. And
hopefully the club scene will remain strong, and it
not just become about huge events. Those big shows
can be really amazing, but you need the balance of
the sweaty clubs and basements. Cos that is where
this all stems from - it’s the lab, the petri dish.
Do you think that being born and raised in London
helped you when starting out in the music industry?

It helped in that I was in a really healthy environment
for music - constantly surrounded by great clubs,
radio, record shops etc. But the very first introduction,
that led to my first release, came from hanging
around a famous London record shop as a youth,
and knowing the guys in there. So I guess that
proximity was an advantage. But I’ve never been an
“industry” guy. I’m the one skulking in the corner!
People may not realise that you were once part
of The Wiseguys and responsible for some
classic tracks like Ooh La La and Start the

Commotion in the late nineties. How did you go
from there to what you are producing now?

From my standpoint, I can see a fade - a gradual
shift across from the very first tracks I made, right
up til now. But to an outside observer they might
only see jumps. It’s like looking at mountains from a
distance - you only see the peaks. But at ground level,
it’s all just the same earth, moving up and down in
an unbroken line. There are probably lesser-known
tracks of mine that fill in those gaps! But I’ve always
loved house and techno etc - I just hadn’t really
learnt how to make it back then, and it wasn’t really
what that project was about. After that I started
experimenting and combining other sounds, trying
to find my own style and approach. To be different.
How did you first start making music? Was it
something you were interested in as a kid?

When I was a kid, like a lot of people I started by
making pause-button loops on my cassette deck from records I had, but also all the amazing music
that was being played on pirate radio in London
at that time. Then my friend borrowed
his mum’s computer and we did loops
on there. That was enough fun
for me to buy my own crummy
2nd hand computer and start
layering up these samples. I
always find it interesting to
hear how people’s musical taste
develops throughout their life.
Did you have an eclectic musical
upbringing or have you always
been interested in electronic music?

that has been constructed as a barrier by the old
guard of “real rock n roll” to subtly stigmatise and
trivialise music that doesn’t sound like the Dave
Matthews Band. A record can be 2% electronic or
100% - analysing at what point it crosses the line
is pointless. To me, a synth, sample, or even a plugin are just as valid a tool as a guitar or piano.
You’re playing at the Bugged Out! weekender
in Bognor Regis in January which looks like
it’s going to be a huge event. Are there any
DJs you’re looking forward to seeing?
I haven’t seen The Chemical Brothers DJ for
ages, so I’m looking forward to that.

How long does it take you to produce a new
track and what is your starting point?

It really varies. Some tunes come together in a few
days, while others take months. It’s like a lot of
painters - they work on something, but if they hit a
wall or get distracted, they put that painting to the
side and come back to it with a fresh approach a while
later - sometimes a long while. But there
are tunes which just propel themselves
forward, and come together really
quickly. The starting point also
varies. It could be a sample which
I want to chop up, or a drum track
that I’ve built up, or a strange
synth sound that needs a home.
Or a mood that needs exorcising.

Those big shows
can be really
amazing, but you
need the balance
of the sweaty clubs
and basements

Well there wasn’t really electronic
music in my house as a little kid, but
my Dad was always listening to quite odd
stuff on the radio. So I was always aware of other
strands of making music. But synth-based music
and new wave type stuff was huge when I was first
becoming aware of pop, and developing my tastes,
so it’s always been part of my make-up. However
I’m just as much into non-electronic music. In fact,
the whole thing of branding music as “electronic”
or not is slightly bullshit anyway. It’s just a label

If you were to give the next
Fake Blood one piece of advice
about how to get started in the
industry, what would it be?

Wow. This is a discussion that needs
good wine and a couple of hours. I have
very positive things to say about all this - it can
be fantastic - but there are things to watch out
for. And personality types. Big time. However
I don’t think now is the time or place.
Words Paul Maynard

PA R I S A
P

arisa Wilkinson is a 21 year old, über cool
singer/songwriter and self proclaimed ‘Alien’,
ready to take over our planet. Brought up
in London by her model mother and band member
father, it’s clear to see where Parisa gets her kooky
creative talent and intoxicating charm. She was
definitely no ordinary child and is proving to be an
extra-ordinary adult destined for greatness.
Noctis chatted to Parisa about witches, writing and
waiting for vampires. Join us on a tour around her
‘world of pure imagination’.
What kind of ‘Alien’ are you?

I am definitely the inquisitive kind. Ever since I
was a kid I felt I didn’t fit in with the others
around me. It led me to create a fantasy
world of being a witch or a vampire and
drove my obsession with UFOs and
the paranormal. This was especially
strong at primary school where I
would let my imagination run wild
and convinced fellow classmates
that I was a witch. My fantasy wasn’t
discouraged by my family, whilst other
children were watching Disney movies my
father gave me ‘Cujo’ (based on the Stephen
King novel). This fuelled my interest in film… I
love Taratino and Tim Burton.

Describe your musical style?

My musical style is intimate and personal. It contains a
lot of primal drums that stand out along with melodic
synths. The rhythms are playful and melancholy, with
a choral style influenced by my years in a choir at a
Christian school.
Who are your musical influences?

I am influenced by songs rather artists really. Peter
Bjorn and John - ‘Gimme Some’ and ‘Living Thing’,
for their playful use of sound. Santigold is extremely
talented and really cool. I am influenced by different
experiences I have had including the Gospel Choir
tour of Venice I had in my final year at school.
And Bjork! (Who isn’t influenced by Bjork?)
For both her image and sound, a definite
influence on me.

Ever since I
was a kid I felt
I didn’t fit in
with the others
around me.

When did you start singing?

I started off very young writing stories and books as
my parents would encourage me to express myself
on paper rather than telling lies at school. I can
remember my first book, ‘Billy and the Aliens’, it was
great! I then developed on to poetry and melodies
in my angst teenage years. From that point writing
songs just developed naturally. I started performing
at 9 when I joined an amateur dramatics group, with
my first big performance at age 10 playing the part
Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
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If you could collaborate with three
people (dead or alive) who would you
choose?

The music I like listening to isn’t the same as the
music that influences me, funnily enough. My
favourites are The Fourth Album by Led Zeppelin, Goo
album by Sonic Youth and In Vitro by Nirvana.
What drives you to write music?

It’s a way of getting something out of my system.
I still write stories and poetry as well as music, its
therapeutic for me. When I was younger I wrote about
things that weren’t real now I write about what is real.
It is as personal as I can be.

I have performed at both The Royal Albert Hall and
The Palladium with my drama tours but I think The
Albert hall was the most amazing venue.
Do you have any interesting fans?

I have a lot of lovely people supporting me, no
weirdos… if that’s what you mean?! People have
requested acapella versions of my tracks before so
nothing too weird. I love meeting people and I really
will talk to anyone.
Do you plan to tour the UK?

I would like to do a couple of specific shows in the
summer of next year. There are certain people I really
want to support on tour that’s what I plan to do next
before I get to do head lining tours. I am not signed to
a label yet, but I have been approached. I am only just
producing my first EP after the interest from a couple
of tracks I posted online, it’s crazy!
What would tell your 16 year old self?

Honestly…Just get on with it!!! Don’t mess around.
Nothing should hold you back , and who cares what
other people think. Have no fear, you’re the only
person who can hold you back.
If it wasn’t singing what would you be doing?
What is your writing process from concept to
completion?

I have an unorthodox way I suppose, as I don’t play
an instrument in the traditional sense. I come up
with a melody, this can be at anytime, even 2am. I will
then develop that melody, recording it on my ipod or
computer and build up the lyrics. Sometimes
it is the other way round and I have loads of
lyrics first and try and build the melody.
I have a great friend who is my producer,
so we then sit down and create the
sound together, everything is computer
based so it’s not a massive production,
it’s quite simple and sounds cool.
I really would love to do a live album one
day with a live band, that would be great.

Something creative like Art, or film. I have to use that
part of my brain otherwise I would go crazy. I love
Film and there’s not enough people going into film.
Name three things you can’t live without?

Placebo at the O2, about four years ago. It was a really
great gig as they played all my favourite songs… I was
really happy!
What is the largest audience you’ve played to?
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When I was young I would sit out on
the porch late at night and fall asleep,
waiting to be turned into a vampire!
(way before it was cool)

Parisa’s EP will be available on itunes at
the end January 2013.

www.soundcloud.com/officialparisa

www.facebook.com/parisamusic

www.youtube.com/officialparisa
@parisatweets

Words Nicola Goodman of Swoon PR

186 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

CHARLI

XCX

harli XCX known to friends and family
as Charlotte Aitchison is a young one
to watch for 2013 although she has
already been around for over half a decade
shooting with the likes of David Bailey for Vogue
and playing out her early teen years in East
London’s underground New rave scene.
Noctis had a chance to catch up with her before
the release of her debut album in 2013.
You have been in music since a very young age.
How did you get into the scene in 2006?
I started making music very young and started
putting my songs online, and an east london
promoter got in contact with me asking me
to play at one of his warehouse parties.

I did and I didn’t know anything about the whole
scene. I was supposed to be on at 10 so got there at
9 but there was nobody there till about midnight so
I didn’t end up playing till 3am. It was so weird and
I’d never experienced anything like that before. But I
became part of the scene and I started releasing songs.
But it was never meant to become anything.
It began to spiral into something I didn’t
want. But I had become a name and
lots of labels and managers started
coming to my shows, which led to
me being signed when I was 15.
It gave me a chance to start
over and learn what I liked.

I then spent 3 years listening to
new music and working with new
people. Till I put Stay away out and
that’s where I think my career began.

Talking of looking back your father was working
in the music business as a promoter quite a
while ago. Does he help you out nowadays?
No not at all as he was a promoter in the 70’s
for like 3 years. He owned a club putting on
people like Bob Marley before he was big but
it was never a family business. He now collects
stamps. But it is good that he has knowledge
of the business which he can impart to me.

You have shot with both David Bailey and Rankin.
How did those shoots come about? And how
was it to be involved from such a young age?

When I had my first photo shoot I was 14 with
Rankin but to be honest i didn’t realize how much
of a big deal it is. Because I was still involved
in the new rave culture I went to the shoot
dressed as Marge Simpson as I thought it would
be a good idea. Although he didn’t get it.

When I was shooting with David Bailey we hated
each other when we started shooting but
then it all clicked and he reshot me for
Vogue. I also reshot with David Bailey
for Hunger magazine. Although I have
grown into it as I do get the fashion
world now and I know a lot more
about it than when I was 14. It’s a
real honor to have shot with them.

When it comes
to writing music
I am generally
inspired visually
by photo and
film.

Do you look back on what you were doing back
then and think that it influenced your music today?
Yeah, I’m not embarrassed about it as I was 14
and it was pretty cool. even though I have more
perspective now. Everything did help and I can

188 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

look back and be inspired by the people and
the fashion as I really like the club kid thing.

Your opinion of fashion does seem
to have changed over the years and
people will see that you are heavily
influenced by fashion, what would you
say that your fashion influences are?

I’m massively inspired by the 90’s as that is
when I was born. I was hugely into the spice
girls and aqua, people like that. I guess now I’ve
kind of gone back to that. The 90’s were cool
because there was so many different styles and

statements. From Grunge to Pop it really inspires
me visually. When it comes to writing music I am
generally inspired visually by photo and film.
Mentioning the spice girls is funny as there have
been some cases where you have been
compared to a cross between the
Spice Girls and The Knife, although
there is a quite wide spectrum
to find yourself in there. Where
would you put yourself as far as
tying down your sound goes?

You are starting to do DJ sets now. Especially
playing at Fred Perry’s night this month.
How do you sort out what your wearing?

I have only just started DJing but fashion is part of
every single thing i do/ show I play. Although
I think I can wear more outrageous shit
when I DJ as there is less practicality
issues, I don’t have to run round
and jump off shit. Although I
probably will I don’t know.

Maybe I’m the
Wednesday
Adams version
of Britney Spears
combined with
Kate Bush?

I do kind of understand that.
with my fashion sense and
dark music. But when it comes
to performance it’s much more
rock and roll. For me recently the
music I have been making sounds
a lot like angel pop, more melancholic.
Maybe I’m the Wednesday Adams version of
Britney Spears combined with Kate Bush?

When it comes to your music you have collaborated
with many different producers such as Alex Metric.
How have those collaborations come about?

To be honest Alex and I haven’t worked together for
2 years. We did End of the world and put that out.
But it came about as he came to a show and we just
started working together literally the next day. I have
been working with a lot of people in L.A recently,
mainly over the internet. Like I have worked with
Blood Diamond and 2 inch punch, just online.

We just talked about producers are there any other
acts or vocalists you would want to collaborate with?
My dream collaboration would be Die Antwoord
as I think they are incredible. Super Cool. I’ve
recently collaborated with Brook Candy a killer
badass stripper rapper from L.A which has now
come out. And I want to collaborate with Micky
Blanco but I want to work on my own stuff
right now and get everything I want done.

Your have a mixtape which is
already out by now. But what was
the idea behind doing a mixtape?

For me I like mixes. Previously I’ve
done a 25 minute one track. But this
one is 8 tracks, some new beats and
some of me going over stuff. But I wanted
to do something before the album, not quite as
a teaser but something that is on the internet. And I
always want to be putting stuff out not waiting around.
The internet has been pretty big for you.
Is it a love hate relationship? Do you
want to give back as well as use it?

Well I like it when I get free shit on the internet
so I thought I’d give some people some free shit
aswell. After this I’m really looking to my album
for something that’s real and you can hold as I
don’t want to be just a cyber person. This is me
doing that for now but I want to show the dramatic
twist on that and release a classic album.
What’s next for you?

Well My album and my first single from you record
which is called “You hahaha” and I’ve recently done
the video which I think is the best thing I’ve done
as an artist. I felt super cool doing it and I’m really
excited about it. But the album is out next year.
Words Erin Davies

190 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

MK

F

irstly what is your definition of a good track?

That’s a good question, but it’s a hard question
to answer though because it is never the same
for me. I like so many kinds of music that it’s
hard to narrow it down like that. I think the best
answer is something that has kicking bass line
with a really deep feel and a hook or two. And
great vocals never hurt. Good hint: if i am moving
my head back and forth, you know I like it.
How did it feel to be picked up by Kevin
Saunderson at just 16 years old?

Well he didn’t exactly pick me up, that sounds kind
of strange, don’t you think (haha). But it’s not far
from the truth since he did kind of act big brother
to me when I was 16... he let me hang out play in
the studio, and he actually taught me a lot about
using the equipment. It was great, I got to
sit in and learn and also make my own
records. We are still good friends today.
You have been claimed as an influence
to huge hitters nowadays such as
Afrojack and Todd Edwards. How
does it feel to be told you have
had such an impact on people?

How was it working with some of the people you
have worked with including Quincy Jones and
many top artists? What is the funniest story you
have lived whilst working with somebody?

It was really amazing and daunting at the same time.
People like Quincy Jones, and Will Smith... I mean
I grew up with those guys being these larger than
life icons. I learned alot and watched... Those guys
have so much patience and grace when they are
working with artists and other producers. You can
see why Quincy is considered to be a master... He
is really a true professional on every level. Funny
Stories... Oh my god there are so many, I wouldn’t
know which one to pick.... Need a little while to think
which would be appropriate to tell about.
Is there anyone that you would
really like to work with?

If i am moving I want to pick more than one... I would
my head back love to work with Azaelia Banks, lately
I have been making a lot of music
and forth, you with Lee Foss and Jamie Jones and boy
we would love to work with her. But
know I like it. then
there is also Rita Ohra, Santigold,

People tell me that all the time and it’s
kind of funny since those guys are friends
of mine. I work with Afrojack and just did a
few shows with Todd. It’s super flattering and its
amazing that such talented producers say that I had

192 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

a big influence on them. I don’t really know what to
say other than thanks... That’s really nice to hear.

Robert Smith (The Cure), Depeche Mode,
Calvin Harris, The Weekend and Jessie Ware.
Oh and then there are the artists I would love to
remix.... I am just finishing the new Lana Del Rey
and next Creep single and my single with Lee Foss
and Anabel Englund “Electricity” just dropped.

You avoided Djing for a long time what
changed your mind about this?

Ha, ha I don’t know that it was avoiding as much as
it was that I almost never left the studio and had not
experienced the thrill of playing out. I changed
my mind slowly, little by little, my managers
set up a couple of dates for me here
and there and I started to really have
a great time doing it, so here i am
now hooked... completely hooked.
You have worked on over 20 number
1 records how does that feel?

Is there a big difference when
working on your own songs?

Just a bit of a different approach, but mostly it’s
very similar, I like to deliver on my originals and
also on my remixes, one inspires the other.

There is no way we could interview
you without asking about your remix
of ‘Nightcrawlers’. Does that song
keep creeping up on you? Is it
something that you are happy with?

I have
a lot of
secret collabs
coming up
in 2013

Another good question, it feels great,
but you never really look at it like that
except when you look back....these victories
are generally spread out, so the information
does not overwhelm you or go to your head.
Looking back is there anything that
you wish you hadn’t done?

Yes, I wish i didn’t get rid of my loft in bed stuy,
Brooklyn property is going off the hook.

How do you approach working in the studio with
such a big range of artists over the years?

I try my best to be reliable, connected and focused
on the project I am working on and the music takes
the lead, as long as i like the people i am working
with, which is 99.9% of the time, since I choose
who I work with everything works out fine.

Yes, that song does have a way of
creeping up time and time again, it’s
been around 20 years since it came out
and people just never seem to get sick of
it... It’s great... It makes me feel really good.

What would your advice be for any
young producer or songwriter?

Just keep doing it, and doing it and doing it, don’t
give up and always make time to help the next wave
coming up... Slow and Steady Wins The Race.
What is next for MK?

I have a lot of secret collabs coming up in 2013
including the Lee Foss - MK ftring Annabel called
“Electicity”, I have plans to do more songs
with Lee Foss and Jamie Jones--collabs coming
fast and furious but they are surprises...
Words Erin Davies

MS
194 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

MR

T

his year has experienced a taste of new global
music sensation, MS MR. They have already
excited the likes of Jay-Z, Grimmy, and Tom
Ford who used MS MR’s No.1 Hype Machine record,
‘Hurricane’, in his September spring/summer
presentation. After having a short history of song
covers and the ‘official’ release of ‘Hurricane’, MS
MR released an exclusive EP called ‘Candy Bar
Creep Show’, in September this year. The four-song
EP includes tracks ‘Ash Tree Lane’, ‘Dark Doo Wop’,
‘Bones’, and ’Hurricane’. Previous releases Hurricane
and Bones have alluring dark hooks and almost
haunting lyrics (“Welcome to the inner workings of
my mind/So dark and foul I can’t disguise.”) Music
mogul Zane Lowe described ‘Hurricane’ as his
‘Hottest Record’, and since the release of the EP The
Guardian declared MS MR ‘Potential Superstars.’
Now, the world waits in suspense for the
release of MS MR’s new single, ‘Fantasy’, in
March 2013, shortly followed by the hugely
anticipated untitled debut album in May.

In the run-up to ‘Fantasy’, MS MR are on a European
tour this winter and are stopping in the UK for
two sought after gigs at Manchester and London
in November. Despite acclaim, the duo who are
behind the track remained an impenetrable secret,
Noctis had a chance to meet up with these two
and get to know them. Who are MS and MR?
Firstly, with you guys being so
new, lets introduce you..

Tell us how MS MR first formed?

I think she knew me well enough that I
could be honest with with her but not well
enough that we ever had to talk again.

I got the email with the song attached but I was
so scared i didn’t listen to it for like four days. But
there was a really nice sickeningly sweet melody
and her voice was super compelling. So we got
together and did the Patrick Wolf cover. It was good
to start with the cover; We couldn’t argue about it.
You guys seem like you were more of a straight up
collaboration than a band when you started?

Lizzy: Yeah we didn’t go into this thinking this is
the start of something. We started with the cover
because it gave us a chance to test the water and feel
each other out. Just see how it goes. We wrote on a
track by track basis and it wasn’t till the following
spring when we had a body of work and thought
Ohh, we could turn this into something more.
The MS MR sound is instantly recognisable. Did
you establish the band’s sound early on? How
does the writing process work for you guys?

Max: Well sometimes I’ll start writing a track and
I’ll send it to Lizzy and she’ll sing over it.
Sometimes she’ll send me melodies and
lyrics and I’ll work into it together. or
an accapella and I’ll write under that.
There is so much cross editing.

We recorded
our entire record
in a spare
bedroom in my
apartment.

Max: We went to university
together in upstate New York.
We had a couple of classes
together but never really spoke,
we weren’t friends really. I had
started producing music in my bed
room in a DIY way, a bit like now
really. Lizzy had started a record label
called Neon Gold in her softmore year. After
university some of my other projects fell apart so
I contacted Lizzy to see if she had any artists she

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was interested in developing. So she sent me some
names and an email about how she had been writing
for a long time but had never shown it to anyone.

Lizzy: We don’t lock ourselves away
and work on something. We do
work together sometimes but are
doing that less and less now it’s easy
for us to both start and exchange.

Max: It’s super organic every
song develops in its own way.

Zane Lowe described ‘Hurricane’ as his ‘hottest
record’ and it reached No.1 on Hype Machine.

Baring that in mind, what has been the
pinnacle moment so far for MS MR?

Lizzy: This is very new for us too. But I was born
and raised in London so Zane Lowe is a big deal for
me I remember listening to him on XFM and
watching his MTV2 show Gonzo. When
Zane Lowe played our track I was
streaming it online, fist pumping
in my apartment and freaking
out, jumping up and down.
Your music has been exciting
everyone from designer
Tom Ford to music legend
Jay-Z, how does that feel?

Lizzy: It’s basically a closet.

Max: A bed doesn’t even fit in there. But we recorded
the whole thing with one keyboard and a microphone.
You can do that now, you don’t need to invest a lot
of money to create good quality music. Maybe
$500. There are so many possibilities for
people to create good quality music.
It levels the playing field I guess.
Anyone who can write a good
song can do it now without
spending the money or
without going to school for it.

When Zane Lowe
played our track
I was streaming it
online, fist pumping
in my apartment and
freaking out, jumping
up and down!

Lizzy: I think it’s flattering.
Max and I are taken aback
and humbled. It’s mostly nice
because we don’t really think
about what people like when we
were writing the track, just when
we finished it we were happy with it.

Max: I think it is a really personal expression
for both of us, something really deep at our
core that we are putting out there and to have
people react so positively it’s like the cherry on
the top. It’s cool. This partnership is so fulfilling
in its own right and having other people say it’s
something they want to listen to as well and it’s
speaking to people, is an incredible feeling.

Lizzy: It’s also nice to be part of this community
and be observed by other artists that we also
admire. I feel a bit in awe of it really.

Do you feel that the industry has changed with the
wave of new acts that are writing and performing.
Rather than the model of the songwriter in
pop music and the old label structures?
Max: Absolutely I think it’s really expanded the
musical landscape in a positive way. The fact
that you can create. We recorded our entire
record in a spare bedroom in my apartment.

Saying that do you ever
worry about over saturations
of the music market?

Lizzy: Absolutely but it
raises the bar, you can’t
just be base level good. You
have to be better and that's a
pressure artists should put on
themselves if you want to make music.
You need that to push the evolution of music
forward. I think that’s an important ethos for us.
Max: I think all this sort of thing reminds
you that pop isn’t a set category.
Lizzy: We aren’t embarrassed to say
that we are pop and we want to be pop
music. It’s all about accessibility.

When talking of pop music, most people like to
pigeon hole artists into one little genre. We noticed
an interesting one when listening to you called
“Tumblr Wave” Is this something of your doing?
Max: I love that

Lizzy: I sort of made that up

Max: When we made our first E.P on
Bandcamp you have to put a genre.

Lizzy: I put Soul Fuzz and Tumblr Glitch pop.

Max: Now people are referencing
those names. It’s so accurate.

We love what we have done but we aren’t
precious about it. It’s endlessly fascinating.

Lizzy: We don’t have to take ourselves
too seriously to relate to our music.

Max: I love that people have taken that and are
making more and more ridiculous genre names.
Lizzy: Music is crossing over to so many
genres now and i think it’s good that pop
now encompasses so much more than you
would have thought a couple of years ago.
Talking of the internet. You two get
great coverage on blogs...

Lizzy: It’s really nice of you to say that
because I don’t have a sense of it so
it’s really nice to hear that.
.. how is it to have that response
from people in the public
rather than the big names
we spoke about earlier?

Max: It’s nice to hear. We are all
children of the internet and are
really inspired by it so it’s nice to
see that the blog community have
been supportive of what we do. It’s
something that we care a lot about.

The European tour has just kicked
off. What do you have in store?

Lizzy: “Tour is coming” please have that
written in a Game of thrones voice.

What is your favourite show you have played
and where are you looking forward to?
Max and Lizzy: We are so Lucky
to be able to do that.

Lizzy: We said to our managers to
start with, that we want to spend
as much time in Europe as we
do the states especially as we
have a connection here.

You need that to
push the evolution
of music forward.
It’s been awesome so far but
the
favorite is Atlanta. There
I think that’s an
were incredible rock crowd but
important ethos
we were a bit worried about it
as we were on tour with Group
for us.
Love. It was easy with Marina and

Lizzy: It’s something we have tried
to stay close to especially the Tumblr E.P
release and devoting alot of time to that site as it’s
such a great extension of who we are as people.

You're currently releasing a lot of stems in formats
which seem completely new to us. We have seen
remix competitions and acapella b-sides but giving
away every stem seemed to be something new
and interesting. What was the idea behind this?
Max: I think there is a lot of freedom of speech
and democratizing music. We are really
interested in the idea of collage and mixed
media. How the music inspires other forms
of art, and how it transcends mediums. It’s
interesting to see how people interpret it.

198 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

Lizzy: From a music lover standpoint we
are interested in finding new artists and
hopefully we can be supportive of people. It’s
about building a community around us.

the Diamonds but we thought we’d
have to work a bit more for this. But
the crowd were mental it was a huge show.

Max: Lizzy was all over the place
jumping on the barrier.

Lizzy: That was my most rock and roll moment.
People always compare new acts to
others how do you feel about that?

Lizzy: I think we are pretty self aware of where
we sit and who people compare us too.
Max: Sometimes just for the imagery.

Lizzy: We don’t mind comparisons, especially as we
are a new band. People need to put you in context

so they can understand or relate you to something.
It’s part of the process. I think it’s interesting how
people relate to music and tie it up to other artists.
Ultimately i think it’s interesting and
flattering as we are such music lovers.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to find
out why people make those?

Max: We draw so many influences from so
many different time zones and genres from
Opera to pure pop and we don’t really have
control of what it’s going to sound like.
With our theme of Folklore or fantasy
is there anything specific story you can
remember from your childhood?

Lizzy: I took American Gothic Literature
and most of that is pretty close to those
tales so I think we’ll stick with that.

What future projects do you have ahead of you?

Lizzy: This is the first thing we have really ever done
together or aside and we feel like we have just begun
to find what we are capable of. We are really excited
to share this album but we are also really excited to
already get back in the studio and find out what the
next evolution of this music is as I don’t think either
of us really know. The possibilities are so endless.
Max: Even when the album was done I didn’t feel
that I felt that I had much more exploring to do and
that is so exciting and so nice to feel like that.
Words Lisa JC & Erin Davies

200 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

Picture
Book

F

rom the successful release of debut EP At Last
(a collaboration with Grammy nominated
vocalist Greta Svabo Bech) to a string of
pivotal performances at the Olympic Games Torch
Relay events this summer, it’s fair to say it has
been a monumental year for talented band of
brothers, Dario Darnell and Lorne Ashley.
Known collectively as Picture Book, Dario
and Lorne are proud sons of legendary
Kid Creole and the Coconuts front
man August Darnell and have
most definitely developed a
certain passion, work ethic and
musical flair from their father.

playing little melodies and singing along with lyrics
we had made up about girls and playing basketball
across the pond. Very surreal. I remember it from
the footage rather than from memory. We invited all
our family and friends to sit in the garden and watch
us. We must have been 7 years old. Ridiculous.
What’s it like making music together?
Is there ever any sibling rivalry?

The first gig
was in our Mum’s
back garden,
on bin lids and
a karaoke
machine...

Originally from New York City,
Picture Book have spent the past
three years in based in Liverpool
exploring the musical spectrum and
collaborating on many of the songs
currently included in their diverse and
popular repertoire. As a very fitting conclusion
to such a successful year, the duo has recently
released their second EP Songs About Aimee which
is co-produced by house legend Tony Senghore.
When did you decide to start the band?

I can’t think back to a time when we weren’t
trying to write music, tell stories, and get
people dancing. Which consequently led
to a LOT of embarrassing footage.

Do you remember the first ever gig you played?

The first gig was in our Mum’s back garden in
Manchester, on bin lids and a karaoke machine...
And this tiny Casio with a drum sequencer with us
202 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

It’s only sibling rivalry. We fight to
get our individual parts on tracks,
and that keeps us on top of our
game individually, and keeps
the tracks working creatively,
with loads of personality and
above all - progression.
Are you in the process of writing
new tracks at the moment?

We never stop writing new tracks.
Except for hangover days. Even those are
scheduled in these days. Living off Google Calendar.
Who are your main musical influences?

Our dad is obviously a big influence. Incubus
have been a primary source of inspiration
because of their musical evolutions and insane
harmonic qualities. Also, Simply Red, from early
childhood has been admired by each of us.
Have your Dad’s compositions and style
had any influence on your music?

Yes, most certainly. But there is also that
competitive edge - I know it’ll make him proud
to consider a piece of ours being funkier or
out-selling one of his singles one day!

Do you ever get together and jam with your Dad?

‘Jamming’ happened when we were kids - and
when it did happen, we were terrible. But more
recently, as soon we were capable enough as song
writers, producers and technicians, Dad seized the
opportunity to get cheap studio engineers. Hahaha!!!
We did the whole ‘I Wake Up Screaming’ (2008)
album with him. It was truly an honour, a lot of
hard work went in to that album. And it
sounds beautiful, if I may say so myself!
What has been playing on your MP3,
CD or record player this week?

I think that the summer was pretty startling, all the
attention we had on the country was positive, for once.
How did you approach the remix of Mark Ronson’s
‘Anywhere in the World’ for Coca Cola?

It wasn’t easy. This current remixing model is
something that we both don’t agree with at all.
However, we think we’ve found a more honest way
to re-imagine someone else’s hard work.
What was so interesting about this remix
was that the percussion and drums
were all sounds of sport recorded
by Mark Ronson from athletes
around the world. It made the
whole thing really challenging,
which in turn, made us enjoy
the whole experience more!

We had
opened a path
that had literally
no boundaries
other than our
imaginations

I went to Dad’s place a few weeks
ago in Sweden for some recording,
and came back with 2 suitcases full
of Vinyl. For some reason, the main
record on rotation at the moment is
Sade’s ‘Promises’ album. On top of that
we’ve been researching the origins of
Soca for a new Picture Book live show idea.

Do you have any embarrassing skeletons or
‘guilty pleasures’ in your record collection?
Too many - Backstreet Boys, N*Sync, Limp
Bizkit and The Offspring to name a few.

What have been the ultimate high and low
points of your musical career so far?

Good question - the ‘ultimate’ part really puts the
pressure on! I think my high point has to be writing
the current live set. We have been through a lot of
live incarnations, but when we finished creating
this new formula at the beginning of 2012, we knew
that we had opened up a path that had literally no
boundaries other than our imaginations. Which
is still just as exciting today as it was the day we
completed it! I can’t think of a ‘low point’ per se,
but I can think of plenty of embarrassing points...
The UK took centre stage this year as host of the
2012 Olympic Games, so it must have been a great
honour to be chosen to play at the Olympic Torch
relay events. What was the experience like and
did you manage to get an up close and personal
glimpse of Bradley Wiggins’ side burns?
We didn’t meet any Olympians, although not for
lack of trying. The tour was incredible. Playing
Hyde Park was a rush. We really wanted to meet
the Olympians, their life style fascinates me, and
the things they can achieve are truly wonderful.

Obviously being able to release music
is very important for any musical
artist and I notice you have taken the
initiative to start your own label, ‘Picture
Book Records’. How has the process been?

We have learnt a lot from it and we feel it is the right
path of us to follow at the moment. “Picture Book
records”... it’s not a very inventive name of course, but
it puts our point across: This is music by us, for you, by
any means necessary, because we want you to hear it!
How has your brand new EP Songs About
Aimee been received and what was it like
working with House legend, Tony Senghore?

It’s been pretty well received, thank you for asking!
It wasn’t intended to be a big smash EP, more as
something for song-lovers to hear. It’s a “concept EP”
if you will allow the term - a story that we had to tell.
There’s stuff to dance to, but there’s stuff in there to
really get your teeth in to as well. Chords, harmony
and progressions that are slightly off kilter, but
everything delivered with constant fusion to the lyrics.
Tony is great, he really helped this EP to the next level.
Finally, what’s next on Picture Book’s agenda?

More music, videos & content... We are ready to
move on to the next stage. All we really want to
do is groove. Create some atmosphere around
a heap of people, connecting us as we create
brand new music just for them at that moment,
to close your eyes and shuffle your feet to.
Words Dan Hughes

FLUME

204 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

F

rom Sydney to Shoreditch, we are more than
happy that Flume is finally coming to London
early next year! The 21 year old producer tells
us how it is to be young in the music industry but
also how he celebrated that he beat One Direction
in the Australian Itunes Chart. From bouncing dogs
to slow burning sex jams, let’s say hi to Flume!
What was the first thing on your mind
when you woke up today?
Oh shit, I have a live to air radio
interview in 15 minuets

What did you have for breakfast?

Special K with yogurt and honey and coffee
Have you ever made your dog
bounce to your music?
All the time! I get him to play
the keyboard sometimes too
And how about girls then?

Now that the album’s done I’m
working on a 15-minute long
slow burning sex jam. Oooh yeah

Tell us about your first house party!

First proper house party was my 18th
birthday. I threw up in a pot plant

Have you been to a gig recently?

I saw Hermitude/The Presets at this secret Triple J
event not long ago. That was cool because it was quite
small, I got to get up close and see how they play live
Tell us how the creative process was
for the your self titled album!

I wrote most of it when I was travelling overseas
with a friend. We were away for 3 months, I
wrote almost the entire thing on my laptop with
headphones in cafes/hostels/ lobbys/pubs.
Anywhere with a table and a power point.

Did your bucket list include that your debut
album would beat a huge boyband
in the Australian Itunes Chart?
How did you celebrate this?!

Now that the
We knew that it was coming out
album’s done
on the same day and we were
I’m working on a 100% sure we would never beat
them. It was a massive surprise.
15-minute long
I celebrated with a nice big
Makers Mark on the rocks.
slow burning
Do you have a person that
sex jam
influenced your musical trip

You recently turned 21 what does
the age mean for you?
It’s probably the last birthday I’ll
ever be excited about.

How is it to be young in the music industry?

It’s fun! I think some people look out for you and take
you under their wing/help you out a little more when
you’re younger. It’s also good because I can party and
don’t have to deal with it so much in the morning

to where you are today?

A local Sydney producer Shawn Mohammadi
contacted me years ago and has been a bit
of a mentor ever since. He’s an amazing
producer and taught me so much
Any albums you are looking forward to 2013?

New stuff from TNGHT and the Major Lazer record
Talking about 2013, what´s the new
years resolution for Flume?
Drink less, exercise more
Words Maria Pizzeria

SAINT
206 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

LOU LOU

2013 is coming closer and as always the predictions
of the coming year are out already. The beauty twins
SaintLou Lou is one of the bands that already got good
things going on. We had a nice chat with Miranda
and Elektra about how the duo come to exist to how
they are dreaming about meeting Oprah one day.
Hi Saint Lou Lou!
Why, Hello!

How does it feel to be in London?

We absolutely adore London, it’s almost like
home now.. And when we go away it is deeply
missed. Coming from Sydney, London is similar
but on a grander scale.. Without the beaches of
course. And it’s close to Stockholm (our other
hometown), jackpot! Also, half of our family
originates from London, so there’s definitely a
sense of family connection-vibes to this place.
How did the project Saint Lou
Lou come to exist?

You often described as the Australian/
Swedish twin duo, what is that all about?

We’re half/half - our mother is Swedish and
our father is Australian, and we are identical
twins, so it is actually pretty simple.

Twins are different from other siblings in the
sense (besides sharing the exact same DNA) that
we have been together since the very beginning
of our existence, hence experiencing all situations
together, seeing it from the same perspective and
same emotional level of understanding. We process
most things almost identically to each other, and
therefore understand each other so incredibly well.
This applies to working together as well, we share
208 Issue 6 www.NoctisMag.com

How would you girls describe your sound?

It’s so hard to describe your own music sometimes..
But describing it as pop with ethereal and
dreamy elements feels the most accurate.

What can we expect from Saint Lou Lou during 2013?
You can expect an EP..and an album..a
new video(s)…a little tour..

This issue is about Folklore Fantasy, do you have a
favourite fairytale that influences you and your music?
Not sure if these qualify as fairytales in that sense,
rather stories, but we love the sentiments of James
and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl and Narnia. That
there is another, parallel world where the impossible
feels possible and where you can find qualities
within yourself that you aren’t familiar with
in the “real” world. Also, finding life and
existence in the smallest of things.

Pop with
ethereal
and dreamy
elements

After growing up in a musical family
(both parents are musicians), the
two of us started doing little music
projects together in our late teens,
but it was just for fun and without
ambition. Then we were set up with
AddeboyVsCliff (our producers) by
a common friend, and pursuing music
‘professionally’ became a very natural next step.

How is it to be twins and work together?
Do you think you have something that “just”
brother and sisters doesn´t have?

all aspects of music-making and being on stage in
the same way, which in one way makes us reach
decisions fast and work effectively most of the time.

What are you dreaming about right now?

At night? We tend to dream so
much that our brains are tired
in the morning. Every dream is
like an episode of a soap-opera..

But assuming that you mean ‘career-wise’,
our biggest dream is just that we can continue on
working with music full time and dedicate ourselves
entirely, and keep on being surrounded by all these
fantastic people that we are working with…
And one day meet Oprah Winfrey, it’s been
a dream since we watched the Oprah Show
every day after school as 10-year olds, haha
Speaking about dreams, who is your
dream person to collab with?

Hmm.. Emiliana Torrini. Or the ghost of Jeff Buckley...
No wait! Write an epic pop song with Max Martin!
What´s the best piece of advice you been given?
Our mother always says to “Kill them with
kindness”, when haters hate that is.
Words Maria Pizzeria

To all the contributors and readers,
We would like to thank you very much for staying
with us through the cold and wet months of winter
for this special folklore and fantasy issue of Noctis.
We would like to thank all our contributors and
the people we work with for helping us re-imagine
tales and stories as well as looking to the future.

We hope that the Christmas indulgence has started to
wear away and we are looking forward to 2013 a year
where we hope to work with more people making new
friends and showing all of you some great new things.

So lets start looking ahead to our next issue shall we.
Spring Fling. It's time to give yourself that new look just
so you can ask that very special someone to the dance.
We will be injecting a little sunshine back through
the clouds and warming you up for the summer.
Thank you very much 2012 and lets look
forward to a great new year together.